The Hours in a Day
by Took-Baggins
Summary: A collection of one-shots. Mostly focuses on the Once-ler, but also includes other characters.
1. Dawn

Disclaimer: I don't own the Once-ler or the Lorax or any of that awesome stuff.

_Thank you, Once-ler fandom for pulling me out of my writer's block! Seriously, guys, it's been like two years since I really wrote anything. That being the case I'm a little nervous about posting these. I like them, though, and I hope everyone else will too._

_Chapter lengths will vary, as will the mood in each. Everything's better with a little variety, right?_

**Dawn**

* * *

The Once-ler had never been an early riser. Most mornings he was awoken by the sun in his face or the ruckus of birds drifting in through his open windows. He also slept quite heavily. It was a surprise to him, then, when he sat up one morning to find his room dark and silent.

He glanced around the room, wondering what it was that could have roused him. Pipsqueak was wedged into his side, fast asleep as were all the other creatures scattered throughout the cottage. None stirred. No one tossed in their sleep or twitched an ear, nothing that might have woken him. He rubbed his fingers through his black hair, puzzled and a little groggy. Was something missing?

_Ah, that's it._ The obnoxious snores that usually emanated from the Lorax were conspicuously absent. The side of the bed he had claimed was empty, a few strands of orange fur the only evidence anyone had been there. Once-ler _hmph_ed to himself. Where had the thing gone?

His curiosity picked at him. He _could_ wait until the Lorax came back, but judging by the faint, blue light spilling through his window, it would soon be morning anyway. It could be hours until he decided to come back. He was not usually the nosy type, but Once-ler knew it would bother him all day if he just left it now.

Careful not to wake the tiny Bar-ba-loot snoring into his stomach, Once-ler scooted away from Pipsqueak and climbed out the other side of the bed. Both of his shoes has been tossed toward the foot of the bed by some creature or other. It took a few seconds of swatting around in the darkness before his fingers brushed against laces. Shoving his feet into them as he went, he hopped to the door, opening it quietly to see the Lorax slowly making his way through the grass. Once-ler closed the door behind him and he stopped. Slowly, he turned and studied the young man.

"You up for a walk, beanpole?" The Lorax asked. Once-ler wordlessly strode out to join him. The ground was dewy and even with shoes on the cuffs of his pants grew wet and cold after a few feet. He hiked his pant legs up a little and they stuck to his ankles. The two of them set off down the path that led toward Greenville. They went slowly and aimlessly, the Lorax moving whichever way he felt he should. Once-ler glanced around.

"So...where are we going?" He asked the Lorax, noting the familiar path. "Town?"

"Nowhere, really." He trotted alongside Once-ler, his eyes flickering from tree to tree. He was watchful, which wasn't surprising with the way he was always going on about being a guardian.

They continued in silence down the path, going slowly and stopping occasionally to listen to the silence of the Truffula trees. At each of these stops, the Lorax would turn his face toward the tufts and stroke his mustache intently. At times, Once-ler felt a sort of rustling at the edge of his mind, like he was hearing something he couldn't quite process. It annoyed him. Every time the Lorax stopped, the Once-ler would spend several minutes listening hard and trying to decide what his ears were doing. Eventually they left the road, moving uphill through one of the thicker parts of the forest.

He was becoming quite frustrated by the fourth time they'd stopped. He was twisting his pinky into his right ear when he realized that the Lorax was staring at him. "My ears are buzzing," he explained. The Lorax regarded him with what looked to the Once-ler to be pity.

"Your ears ain't buzzin', kid." He led him away from the trees he'd been considering. Though they had been climbing higher, the Once-ler hadn't given their destination much thought. He'd assumed the Lorax was just doing some routine check-up or something. The trees thinned out again and the ground sloped sharply downward. They stood atop one of the highest hills in the valley. Mist still blanketed the ground, but the lightening sky in the east had thinned it a little. Everywhere they looked the colorful tufts of Truffula trees floated above the fog, their bright puffs becoming more brilliant by the minute. At the very bottom of the valley, looking quite small from where they stood, sat Once-ler's little cottage. Its roof was barely visible.

"What do you mean, it isn't my ears?" Once-ler asked quietly. The Lorax didn't look at him. His own voice was soft as he gazed over the valley.

"It's the trees."

"What? You mean like an allergy?"

"Nah, I mean you're hearing them."

Unexpected, it took several seconds for the answer to sink in. Once-ler laughed, incredulous as he turned to look down at the creature next to him. "The trees? That doesn't make any sense! The trees don't even make noise, how could I hear them?"

"The trees don't have tongues, but that doesn't mean that they don't have voices, beanpole." The Lorax's mustache bristled a little and he waved a a small hand at the trees around them as he spoke. "Just listen. What do you hear?"

Once-ler did listen, though he made a face as he did so. Unsurprisingly it was the same. "Nothing...just, kind of a rustling sound?" He listened harder, his brow furrowing slightly as he puzzled over it. "Not rustling, no...something that hums?" He glanced around, half-expecting to find a pool of water nearby. The Lorax watched, waiting for him to finish. After a moment, Once-ler shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not even sure if I'm actually hearing what I think I hear. It's not...it's not like it's a real sound. At least, not one that I can really describe."

"It's real all right. You just can't hear it because you're a human." The Lorax patted his knee, a gesture Once-ler suspected was meant to console him. "Even if you could hear it properly, you wouldn't understand any of it anyway."

"And you do?" he asked. The idea of talking to trees, really talking and understanding them, made Once-ler a little uneasy for some reason. It was weird.

"I do. I speak for them, after all."

"What do they say?" Once-ler asked, finding that he was genuinely curious. He still had trouble believing that anybody could communicate with plants, but then he was also taking a walk with the Lorax, of whom he wasn't sure what to make.

The mist below had nearly dissipated. Streaks of gold slowly bled through the clouds overhead, casting a warm glow over the valley. Once-ler didn't notice. Waiting for an answer, he stared down at his hands as a dozen what-ifs hovered on the edge of his mind. Several silent moments passed and the Lorax seemed to be thinking. Finally, he sighed and drew the gaze of his companion. "It's not something you would understand, kid. Not yet."

* * *

_This didn't go at all like I had planned it. I'm really happy with it, but it sort of wrote itself for me. Love when that happens! This is also available on my deviantArt account. Look for another chapter in just a few days. ^_^_


	2. Morning

**Morning**

* * *

It really wasn't that far. Ten feet, maybe? Of course, when Once-ler had designed his portable cottage one of his main considerations was that he didn't want the outhouse to be right next to the front door. What he hadn't considered was that he'd one day wake up with a terribly urgent feeling and have to run through frosty grass and morning chill to use said outhouse.

At least he'd had the foresight to grab his shoes. However, as he stood with only his head poking out through the door, craning his neck to judge the distance around the corner of the cottage, he wasn't sure it would make much difference. There was also the ladder he'd have to climb to get to it. Why had he done that?

"It's not that far," he told himself. "And really, it's not that cold out here, anyway." He was terrible when it came to mind over matter, but hopping from foot to foot at the door wasn't doing him any good. He took a deep breath through his nose, scrunching up his face in determination. "All right, here goes."

He instantly regretted stepping outside. His feet were protected from the sharp frost, but the icy air shot through the fabric of his pajamas as if they weren't even there. Flailing about and hoping this might preserve body heat, he tore across the grass and around the corner of the cottage. His shoes slipped over the grass and nearly went out from under him. Luckily, he was close enough to the ladder to catch himself with a yelp. Those rungs were freezing! A thin layer of frost had accumulated on the metal, and it melted under his touch.

"Almost there," he muttered through clenched teeth as he began climbing the ladder. He slipped and slid to the top, grabbing for the door handle as relief flooded him.

It was latched.

"Oh, come ON!" Frustrated, Once-ler yanked at the wooden door with numb hands, irritated noises spilling from his throat.

"Occupied." He glared at the door, wanting dearly to punch the gruff voice behind it.

"I need in there! Now!"

"Sorry." There was an amused lilt to the Lorax's voice that pulled a groan from Once-ler.

"What are you doing? You don't even _need_ a toilet!"

"Consider it an act of nature, beanpole!"

Once-ler began beating his fists against the door. It was too early and too cold for this nonsense. "Let. Me. In!"

"Should've got up first!"

"Aaaargh!" He kicked the door in frustration, forgetting that he was standing on a wet, frost covered ladder. His other foot flew out from under him, sending him bouncing down to the grass with a girlish scream. He dropped just as the door opened. The Lorax chuckled down at him. "I was just messing with ya, kid." Once-ler was silent from where he lay sprawled facedown in the grass. The Lorax stared at him, the laugh dying in his throat. "...Kid?"

* * *

**Poor Oncie, that Lorax is playing with him. Heh. I've noticed that for some reason he put the outhouse up off the ground with a ladder type thing going up to it. That would be terrible if you were in a hurry. It's short, I know. I was in drabble mode.**


	3. Afternoon

**Afternoon**

* * *

Once-ler had made just one human friend since coming to Greenville. They didn't spend a lot of time together, he and the bespectacled girl he'd met at the small market. She occasionally brought him food when her mother had made too much for lunch. She often walked home with him, as far as she could while keeping within sight of town. He was glad of the company, she was glad to have something interesting to do.

In the short distance they walked, they talked of many things. They laughed quietly together and she would bump him jovially with her arm, jostling a smile onto his face no matter how long and tiring a day it had been. It was the happiest he'd been with anyone in a very long time.

Their happy routine continued for more than two weeks. One afternoon he had given in early, having a side project to work on that eveing. As usual, she had come to walk with him, and he had been telling her about waking up with a swomme chick snuggled beneath his chin when she leaned a little closer to him. Instead of the playful nudge he had come to expect, he felt the lightest brush of her small fingers against his. She pulled back, a faint blush rising across her freckled nose. He'd looked at her for a long moment as she stared at her feet, and shrugged it off to continue his story.

Whatever it was, he put it out of mind until it happened again a few days later. This time it was a little less hesitant, though it happened just as quickly. His own fingers had twitched toward her at the contact, moving of their own accord to catch her. She slipped away and he pulled back, consciously stopping himself from taking that step.

As much as he would have loved even the simple interaction of holding her hand, he kew it would do nothing but distract him in the end. He didn't need that, not really. The important thing was that he stay focused. He'd made plans, he was going to make something of himself. He was going to change the world.

It wouldn't take long, of that he was sure. A few weeks, or months, and his thneed would be a success. Then , he could provide for her. Then he could reach for her hand, and give her beautiful things. He would make her happy, then, and give her the things she deserved. He would show her that he was good enough for her. It wouldn't be long at all.

Until that time came, there were bigger things to concentrate on. Later, there would be time for them. Time for the fluttering in his chest, time for the tremor in his hands; there would be time.

He thought there would always be time.

* * *

**I think this is one of my favorites. I'm a Normaler shipper, but I didn't mention her by name or anything, so I guess if you like you can think of it as someone else.**

**I love these two together, but I think he would put off getting too involved with her because he was so determined to sell his thneeds. Unless she made the first move, more aggressively than she does here. She could fluster him into it. ^_^**


	4. Evening

**Evening**

* * *

He was too old to cry. Even if he weren't, he'd felt this way far too many times over the years to let himself do so now. So what if nobody believed in him? So what if all they did was laugh and take bets on how long it would be until he came running home, his tail between his legs? They wouldn't think his ideas were so funny once his business got off the ground! No sir, they wouldn't be laughing when they had to come work for him! That's what Once-ler told himself, anyway. A week ago, he had announced that he was leaving, setting off on his own to find the perfect material for his thneed. Since then, everytime he'd encountered his mother or another family member, they'd burst into uncontrollable giggles at the very sight of him. It was worse if he'd been out getting supplies for his trip. Bret and Chet had taken to teaming up to knock his feet out from under him. He'd amassed quite a few squashed bags of marshmallows due to the fact that they broke his falls quite nicely.

It hurt, really, though he had carefully avoided admitting this to himself. Unfortunately it was hard to ignore that they thought so little of him, even though he knew they always had. It was the sort of thing that you didn't get used to. Over the years he had gotten into the habit of hiding himself away from them, taking shelter in the ramshackle barn that stood about a hundred yards from the house. It was falling apart. No one ever bothered to come poking around since there was nothing there but rusting plows and piles of wood. Melvin sheltered there, when the weather was bad and he didn't feel like standing out in the rain. It was the only place that Once-ler could hide, nestled in a dark corner with his knees pulled up to his chin. He felt sheltered in the barn. Safe. He didn't cry there, though his eyes tended to water quite a bit from the dust. There was really no point in it. He doubted that they would bother to look for him there anyway.

The light was less bright with the onset of evening. Soon night would fall. Morning would come and he would be gone. The thought brought a small smile to his face as he rested his forehead against his knees. Gone. Just a few more hours...

Warm air puffed across his head, ruffling the hair that stuck out from underneath his hat. He lifted his head to see Melvin looking down at him, a knowing expression on his long face. Once-ler chuckled softly. "Hey bud."

The mule snorted a puff of air into his friend's face, earning a more cheerful laugh from the young man. "I know, you're right. You're asking yourself, 'what's he doin' mopin' around here? There's things to do, stuff to pack! He's gonna be runnin' round like a chicken with its head cut off come mornin'!'" He adopted a gruff, thickly accented voice that caused the mule to narrow his eyes in annoyance. Once-ler leaned into the fragile wood of the wall behind him, tapping a finger to Melvin's nose. "I'll have you know that the wagon is ready, the supplies are gathered, and aside from a few things I need to wash tonight my clothes are stowed in a bag that I can toss in the back before we set out."

Melvin gave him a disbelieving look. "No, really. I didn't leave anything til the last minute this time. I promise." Once-ler's finger was still pressed to the velvety fur of his nose. The mule pushed into his hand, nuzzling it affectionately. It was something he didn't do often, but felt the young man needed.

Once-ler sighed and his eyes slid away from Melvin, toward the straw strewn floor. "And anyway, it helped to keep busy." Melvin moved closer to him, pushing his snout into his face to nuzzle it into his dark hair. Once-ler smiled faintly, his hands reaching to stroke his ears. "I think I've repacked that wagon six times..." He stared at the floor without really seeing it. "Unless Bret and Chet pulled everything out again, I should be all set."

Melvin pushed into him, causing Once-ler to throw an arm out to catch himself. His hat flopped to the floor. "What?" he lifted an eyebrow at the animal. The mule bumped him again, insistent. Once-ler smiled faintly. "Yeah, I know. It doesn't matter." He held Melvin's chin in his hands and pressed his cheek against the mule's forehead. "You're right. It won't be long before it'll be you and me. No one will be laughing. No one will be winning any bets. I...I can't wait."

* * *

**Once-ler talking to animals. This should happen more.**


	5. Dusk

**Dusk**

* * *

The sun had nearly set. A pale orange glow bordered the horizon on all sides. From the cliff behind the Once-ler's Lurkim the whole of the valley could be seen. It was still mostly dark and featureless, but the sky above it was clearer than it had been in years. The clouds had been thin throughout the day and were now drifting away toward the horizon.

It was a good place to watch the stars come out.

"You think there's too much light from town?" Ted worried a little from where he sat in the newly sprouted grass. He was carefully spearing marshmallows on an unbent coat hanger.

"It's fine." Once-ler was slouched on a small stool next to him, trying to fit a tenth marshmallow onto his own hanger. "There aren't any other lights out here after all."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess that's true." The boy glanced at the small fire between them. It crackled a little and he leaned back away from it, sticking his arm out as far as he could to roast his marshmallows. They wobbled several inches from the fire, barely warming. He knew from the old man that they would catch fire, but had no idea how close they needed to be...or whether "catching fire" was more like "exploding." Once-ler chuckled at this and deliberate stuck his hanger directly into the fire. Ted stared for a moment as they began to brown and melt. "Oh." He did the same. They sat in silence for a moment, watching the embers shift and glow. It was almost mesmerizing to the boy

"You eating those or feeding the fire, Ted?" Ted blinked at him, then at his marshmallows. One had already dropped off into the fire. One blackened puff still clung stubbornly to the hanger. He withdrew it and yelped as what seemed like half the fire came with it. Once-ler laughed again and the boy panicked and blew at it.

"It's not funny. I just...I wanted to see how long it would take for it to melt completely." He huffed. Once-ler's chuckles softened, but a sheepish smile crossed Ted's face. Picking some of the black pieces off, he sniffed at it. "So...is this the sort of thing you used to do a lot?" Ted asked, tentatively licking the marshmallow. He smiled and bit into it.

Once-ler shrugged, blowing out his own. "Only once in a while. There weren't a lot of trees back home and I couldn't chop down trees just to make a campfire once I got here."

"No, that would be pretty stupid." Their little fire was made of paper and a small stump. Once-ler had made terrible faces when they'd lit it, but dead stumps were the one thing that was still plentiful in the valley. There was a crew from Thneedville that had been working to remove them and make room for the new trees. It was strange for the old man to see the evidence of what he'd done being gently cleared from the landscape. Strange, and somehow relieving.

They ate with relish, making unnecessarily loud chomping sounds just for the heck of it. Ted was enjoying himself. Thneedville not being the sort of place where people had campfires, Once-ler supposed that he was the first child of the city to have such an experience. How lucky for both of them that Ted had come poking around for a tree, he thought. Once-ler couldn't help the smile that spread beneath his mustache. Not so long ago he had still been hiding away in his Lurkim, waiting for the day when he would leave and there would be one less stain on the world. He watched the boy poking at the fire, childish delight shining in his eyes from the dancing flames. How wonderful that the boy had _come back!_

"There, I see one!" Once-ler blinked, shaken from his thoughts as Ted happened to glance skyward. He leaned back on his hands, hanger cast aside as his brown eyes gazed into the night sky. The last bit of light was fading from the horizon. A handful of stars shone among the sparse clouds, the brightest of the constellations peering down at them. "Whoa..."

"Beautiful." More and more winked into sight, the falling darkness making them glow like a million fireflies. They were quiet for a long moment. Eventually, Ted spoke with a whisper that was as soft as the night around them.

"I didn't know. I mean, there are pictures, but...it's completely different." Once-ler hummed in agreement, a smile on his face. "To think all this was just on the other side of the clouds and smog."

"Right under our noses," Once-ler added quietly. His tone caught the boy's attention, and Ted turned to look at him curiously.

"Mr. Once-ler?" The old man reached out and ruffled his hair. It was affectionate. He smiled down at him before looking back to the stars.

"I'm...happy to see them again." Ted smiled up at him. They spoke no more that night. The tiny fire popped and snapped merrily. Faintly, wind ghosted across the landscape with nothing to stir.

An old man and a boy sat together and watched the stars come out.

* * *

**I like these two. I think Ted would have continued to visit the Once-ler after getting the seed, and that Once-ler would have become something of a grandfather figure for him. **

**Also, I love Ted trying to roast marshmallows. I have a great image of it in my head. He looks terrified...if I was a better artist I would draw it for you guys!**

**Anyway, thanks for reading! Please tell me what you thought of it! Only two more chapters left!**


	6. Darkening

**Darkening**

* * *

He had long ago given up counting. They came to him so often and left so quickly that there didn't seem to be a point anymore. At first he had been taken by surprise. Genuinely happy that suddenly people were taking more notice of him than what was required to place an order. There had been just a few in the first months, a precious few that remained with him in the back of his mind.

Gradually, the number grew. The years slipped past and each girl, each night meant less than the last. Actions that has been careful and cautious became practiced and too readily put to use. Smiles, the gentle brushing of lips against eager skin became nothing more than tools. It got him what he wanted and did so quickly. Despite the constant flow of good wine and expensive gifts, it was cheapened. He didn't care. He felt justified. After all, he had worked hard to build his company, didn't he deserve a little gratification? Everybody got what they wanted.

He never felt bad about it. He never felt he was doing anything wrong, until a young girl brought the whisper of his conscious with her as she timidly arrived at his door. He pushed it away easily. He knew the girl as soon as he saw her. She had been there in Greenville, that day he had given up. She was there when the crowd had followed him into the valley. In a way he was her first customer. She had sparked the Thneed craze.

He'd smiled at her, charming and sly, and told his secretary to hold all calls. Wouldn't she like to come in? Have a seat, please, and have a drink. She'd come only a few steps into the room, her shaking hands brushing at pale hair as she watched him hesitantly. Another smile slid across his face. He liked it when they were nervous. It thrilled him to know that he had that effect on people.

He felt powerful.

To the girl, the smile was just warm enough that she found her voice.. "Mr. Once-ler," she said, pausing for a moment to take a deep breath and look him in the eye. "Mr. Once-ler, my mother is very sick." Once-ler's smile faltered. It was one of those types again. People occasionally stuck their nose into his business with their protests and environmental concerns. It irritated him that she was wasting his time with this. Fortunately even the tree huggers fell prey to the same temptations as the rest of humanity. "Dr. Larue says it's her lungs. They don't work as well as they should," here she hesitated again, the nerve she had worked up a moment before beginning to fail her as her nervousness grew. "She says it's because the air is bad."

"The air?" Once-ler feigned surprise, adopting an innocently puzzled frown. This girl didn't seem angry so much as she seemed desperate. Perhaps it would be best to just tell her what she wanted to hear.

"Yes. Y-your factory, sir, it's putting out so much smoke and chemicals...a lot of people are getting sick. The air isn't good anymore."

"Hmm, that is troubling," He paced in front of his desk for a moment, before crossing the room to stand next to her. The top of her head barely reached his shoulder, and she had to tilt her head back to continue looking at him. "See, honey, the thing is...This is what I do." It's how I support my family and myself, not to mention half of the jobs in this region. It may not be doing the environment any favors, but I can't just shut down." Her gaze slid to their feet as he spoke, a defeated frown marring her features.

This one was giving up quite easily. Once-ler smiled inwardly and adopted a face that was deep in thought. "...It's not that..."

"Oh!" He interrupted her mumbling to pound his right fist into his palm, as if the perfect solution had just pushed its way into his head. He beamed at her.

"I can't shut down, I'm sorry, but I can do this! I'll call in an expert. Maybe two or three, however maybe it takes. They can go over the entire operation, think up some ways to fix it so we're not putting out so much smog and schlop. That should really help, don't you think?" _What a waste of money that would be,_ he thought. When she looked back up at him, her eyes bright with gratitude, he beamed as if he really meant it, as if he cared whether or not the air was clean and leaned closer to her.

"Thank you so much, Mr...Once-ler..." The movement didn't go unnoticed. She stumbled over his name and turned red from their close proximity.

"Of course." He smiled again, softly so as not to overdo it. The poor girl looked dazed. "After all, if I don't do what I can to help a beautiful girl in need, what good am I?" Gently, he brushed a lock of hair away from her eyes.

"Beau...? Um, I..." she seemed at a loss for words. It was amusing to watch her lose her composure so quickly. The Once-ler brushed fingers down her cheek, flustering her a little.

"That's what I said." He grinned, sharp and eager. It went completely unnoticed by the girl. She would be easy. He would have his fun, distract her from her problem, and send her on her way. It always worked like a charm.

She closed her eyes as he bent and kissed her.

* * *

**Oh, Mr. Once-ler you are sneaky...**

**Despite the fact that I feel this is a big departure from his character, I had a lot of fun writing this and find this version of him to be intriguing. He's using his appeal as a rich, young man to manipulate people (also, lying through his teeth). **

**I know. "Darkering" isn't a time of day but the next one is called "Night." Neither chapter would've worked as a "Midnight" so yeah.**

**The bit about his conscious feels random, but I wanted to show that it's there and he knows it. He's just become really good at ignoring it and does so almost immediately. I wasn't sure if that came across in the writing.**

**Thanks for reading this far! Only one more chapter to go, but I'm already working on another fic! **


	7. Night

**So...last chapter wasn't too popular, apparently. I mean, none of these have gotten many reviews, but Darkening was pretty much ignored both here and on deviantart. Oh well, I enjoyed writing it anyway.  
**

**Night**

* * *

The rumbling of machinery was a sound to which Once-ler had become accustomed. For years he had dreamed of it and lived with its constant presence. Even his sleep was filled with the deep workings of the factory. It had become a part of his environment. The instant production ceased, that familiar grind fell into the heaviest silence he had ever known.

Everyone had gone and it was dark. Once-ler was in his office, had been for several days. He sat slumped over his huge desk. His top hat and coat lay in the floor behind him, cast aside in an earlier fit. His tie had been yanked loose until it hung dejectedly against his chest. Green gloved fingers tangled into his dark hair, clenching and loosening nervously as he strained his ears for something. Anything.

There wasn't a sound.

He lifted his head just enough to unstick his forehead from the desktop, and gave a small groan. It was loud in his ears and felt as if it echoed through the room. In actuality it died away instantly and the suffocating silence fell again. Once-ler slowly sat up, wincing as his back and neck popped in protest. He arched his back and stretched a little before simply flopping back in his chair. A sigh escaped him as he crossed his arms, hugging himself.

What was he supposed to do? He glanced toward the large windows across the room. Thankfully night had fallen and the darkness outside hid most of the valley from view. Had he been standing, he could have seen the circle of stones outside. He could have seen where _he_ had disappeared for the last time, where Melvin and the other animals had walked dismally from their homeland. Where it had finally become clear to him what kind of damage he'd done.

He blinked and turned in his chair, burying his face into the rich upholstery. He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to see the barren hills or the fancy decor of his office. Wetness pricked at his eyes. He scrunched up his face to fight it.

What he really wanted was to go home. Not to the crowded, unwelcoming house in the flatlands, but home to his own little cottage. Home with Melvin watching him cook through the windows, home where he could sit and knit while Pipsqueak tried to eat the Truffula yarn. Home was where he had been happy, but he had never _gotten_ it. He'd been so focused on making something of himself that he had never realized that he _had_ been happy once. Why was he only seeing this now? Why, when it was far too late to do anything about it, did he wish that he was back in those younger, happier days? His eyes welled again and his nose began to burn.

He didn't fight it this time. The tears came, and he let them soak into the upholstery, silently riding out the wave of regret that broke over him.

A faint thump echoed through the building. Slowly, Once-ler paused and sat up. His face was wet, but he didn't bother to wipe at it as he turned to stare at the office door. Was somebody there? Were his ears playing tricks on him? Surely he had imagined it. Why on earth would anyone come back here? He slowly sank back into his chair, staring dully across the room. He was desperate for something to break the silence, that was all. He was hearing things that weren't there.

Another dull thunk. Someone coughed.

Once-ler was on his feet in an instant. Scrambling to get away from the chair as it swiveled under his frantic thrashing, he knocked it aside and crashed to the floor. Half crawling, half running, he dodged around his desk and threw himself at the door. He seized the knob in shaking hands and wrenched it open. It struck the wall startling both Once-ler and his secretary where she stood down the hall. She gasped, dropping a heavy paperweight she'd pulled from a drawer. It hit the floor with a loud thunk.

She was neat and prim as always. He was a mess, disheveled hair sticking out every which way. He was a far cry from the perfectly dressed man he had been just a few days before. They stared down the hall at each other. He could feel her eyes on his face. He knew in the back of his mind that his eyes were wet and red but he didn't care. His mouth tightened and he sagged against the doorframe, taking in the cardboard box that sat on top of the desk. She'd come back to leave. "M-Miss Funce-ler?" He took a tentative step into the hall, half afraid that she would leave at the sight of him.

"What is it?" she asked. She went back to rummaging through the desk drawers, watching him slowly approach from the corner of her eye. He stopped five feet away from her, fidgeting with his hands.

"...What are you doing?" he asked, knowing the answer. So soft and worried was his voice that she paused to turn to him, surprised.

"I came back for a few things." She had intended to snap at him, to use that tone of voice she'd always had to stifle when he ordered her about, but the sight of him threw her off. "What are _you _doing?"

"...I don't know." He slouched where he stood, fingers curling into his hair again. "I just..." The words died in his mouth. He had been thinking about it for days. Nothing had come to him then, and it didn't now. He had no idea what to say or do when faced with this woman who had worked for him for so long.

"What do I do?" he muttered to himself. Miss Funce-ler sighed. She wasn't fond of him, but she couldn't let him stand there looking so lost and pathetic. She'd been with the company since the early days. It was faint, but she still remembered the young man who had poured himself into building a business from the ground up. A different, far less broken man. Without taking her eyes from the drawer she had her hands in, she told him, "Move on, Mr. Once-ler."

"...Huh?" He looked startled. He hadn't meant to ask the question out loud.

"Move on. Thneed, Inc. is finished. I'm not trying to be callous, but it's the truth. Find something else to do or better yet, leave." It came out much harsher than she meant it. Then again, there wasn't any point in sugarcoating it. Once-ler stared at her vacantly, his thoughts obviously somewhere else.

"Leave?" he repeated, then muttered again to himself. "But where would I go?"

"Search me," she answered him anyway. "Lemme tell you, you're not the most popular man in Greenville anymore. Sorry, _Thneedville._ " He winced and his gaze dropped to the floor for a moment before he looked at her again with sudden clarity.

"That's terrible. I should never have done it."

"Well, you did." They fell into an awkward silence. Funce-ler tossed a few notepads into her box. Once-ler was staring at his feet again.

"What have I done, Funcie?" It was nothing more than a whisper. Reaching for a stapler, she froze, the long forgotten nickname almost bringing a smile to her face. He had been amused, when he was younger, by the similarity in their names and had called her jovially by the name when there was no one around to impress. Funce-ler had forgotten it.

"You have money, don't you?"

"Yes..."

"Use it. Go start over somewhere new." She stepped closer to him, short enough she could see his face though he was hunched over. His eyes flickered in her direction, drawn by the movement. "Get away from all this. Live a quiet life. And keep away from that family of yours." Hurt flashed across his face, fading in an instant. Funce-ler reached out to him, laying a hand on his shoulder. Shivering, he shrugged it off and stepped away from her. "Don't stay here, Once-ler."

A smile crossed his face as he lifted his head to meet her eyes. It was small and forced and broke her heart just a little. "I can't. I did this, I have to stay here and deal with it." He lifted a hand, not entirely sure of what he wanted to do with it. He settled on waving limply at her. "Thanks, Miss Funce-ler. I hope...things go well for you." He smiled again. It was less forced, but it slipped from his face as he turned away from her and retreated down the hall. He closed the large doors, locked them, and found himself once again in the silence of his office.

* * *

**Poor thing. It's like, he's so torn up that he's a little bit confused. This was written before I realized that Mama Once-ler was the secretary in the hallway, I used Funce-ler from the animated version.**

**So, this was supposed to be the last chapter, but I don't like leaving things on such a sad note. I'm putting together one more small chapter, just to make things a little brighter. It'll be up in a day or two.  
**

**Thanks for reading this far! Please let me know how you liked it!  
**


	8. New Morning

**New Morning**

* * *

Not long ago he would have told himself that he didn't deserve this. After all the things he had done, all the time he had wasted, why should he be happy? But he had told his story. He had given away the very last of his seeds. He had taken that final step, and trusted the young and curious boy who had sought him out for someone else but returned for his own reasons. He had trusted him with what he had treasured and saved for all those years.

Still, the boy had come back.

The Truffula seed was sprouting cheerfully in town. Hundreds more were peeping out from the dry dirt around his Lurkim. Even the sky was clearing again. Everywhere the Once-ler went hope was rising to stare him in the face. He was sometimes astonished that he had survived to see it, to share in the glorious feeling that awoke in him every time he stepped out his door. He still felt that he didn't deserve it, but somewhere in the back of his mind was a small, gruff voice that asked him why. Why did he still feel that way? It had been years, surely he had paid his penance?

The voice was stronger whenever they came to visit. Ted and Audrey. The boy who took the seed and the girl who wanted the trees. They had gotten what they'd set out for, and they still visited him at every opportunity. Sometimes Ted's mother and grammy also came. They would bring lunch or dinner with them, and the Once-ler felt for a short time as if he was a part of their family. The lively conversation and warmth was like nothing he had ever experienced, even as a young man.

The morning had been misty, and the warm sunlight was drying the last curling wisps of fog as Once-ler watched the car approaching from his window. They were bringing breakfast, perhaps a picnic in the new, soft grass that was slowly sprouting all around. They were coming to see him, because they wanted to. They would gain nothing from it, and they wanted nothing. It was enough to spend time together. It was wonderful. He didn't think he would ever get used to it, and truth be told he didn't really want to. A short meal with these wonderful people would leave him cheerful and smiling for days. It would hold him over until their next visit, which he would eagerly await. It would be worth the wait, _had_ been worth the wait for all these years.

_They _were worth it.

Somehow, he was beginning to feel that _he _was worth it, too.

* * *

**I like to think that the Wiggins and Audrey began including Once-ler in some of the things they did, because I hate to think that he went on being lonely and unhappy until the end of his days. I hope this wraps things up nicely for everyone. ^_^**

**I had so much fun writing this that I'm a little sad to see it end. I've already dragged it out for two more chapters, though, so I suppose it's time. Oh well, that just frees me up to work more on the next fic. Hopefully its first chapter will be posted within the week.**

**Thanks you for reading, everybody, whether you left reviews or not. I hope everyone enjoyed this fic!**


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